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Overview
Follow the progress of a little girl and her father as they purchase "a garden" and board the bus to carry it home. The pansies, tulips, daffodils, geraniums, and daisies are lovingly planted in a window box, and the candles on the cake are lighted-just as Mom walks in the door to find her daughter, her husband, and her birthday surprise. 16-1/4 X 18. Full-color illustrationsHelped by her father, a young girl prepares a flower garden as a birthday surprise for her mother.
Synopsis
A springtime favorite, now in a lap-sized board book edition.
Publishers Weekly
A plot about creating a windowbox garden scarcely portends the appeal of this lyrical, ebullient book. On a spring day in an urban neighborhood, a girl and her father visit the supermarket: "Garden in a shopping cart / Doesn't it look great? / Garden on the checkout stand / I can hardly wait.'' The youngster's anticipation grows as the duo travels home--walking down the street, riding the bus, climbing the apartment house stairs--all the while guarding their flowers. Without contrivance or strain, Bunting's verse evokes the universal yet unexpected felicity of blooming color, and the author throws in a happy surprise at the end: the "garden box'' is a birthday present for the girl's mother. Hewitt's intimate, oil paintings gain power through imaginative use of perspective and clean simplicity. The illustrations include just enough detail to prime side observations from pre-readers and still keep the focus on the verse. Fresh as a daisy. Ages 4-8.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly -
A plot about creating a windowbox garden scarcely portends the appeal of this lyrical, ebullient book. On a spring day in an urban neighborhood, a girl and her father visit the supermarket: "Garden in a shopping cart / Doesn't it look great? / Garden on the checkout stand / I can hardly wait.'' The youngster's anticipation grows as the duo travels home--walking down the street, riding the bus, climbing the apartment house stairs--all the while guarding their flowers. Without contrivance or strain, Bunting's verse evokes the universal yet unexpected felicity of blooming color, and the author throws in a happy surprise at the end: the "garden box'' is a birthday present for the girl's mother. Hewitt's intimate, oil paintings gain power through imaginative use of perspective and clean simplicity. The illustrations include just enough detail to prime side observations from pre-readers and still keep the focus on the verse. Fresh as a daisy. Ages 4-8.Children's Literature -
In an oversized board book (referred to as a lap book), a young girl and her dad are off shopping. In addition to food, they purchase daffodils, tulips, daisies, and pansies—all in bloom. Dad lugs the groceries, and our young girl handles the flowers. It is pretty tiring riding the bus and walking up the stairs to their apartment; she shows it by plopping down while dad opens the door. Then, they create a flowerbox for their window ledge. It is a bright display of beautiful colors. What happens next is a nice surprise: candles are lit on a cake and what a wonderful surprise awaits mom—a garden box, just for her. It is a delightful story showing a city-dwelling family determined to bring the beauty of spring flowers into their home and neighborhood. It is also wonderful to see such a nice relationship between father and daughter and among all member of this family. Reviewer: Marilyn CourtotSchool Library Journal
K - Gr.1 A comforting, richly illustrated story about a birthday surprise. An urban African-American girl and her father buy plants, potting soil, and a window box at the supermarket, ride the bus to their apartment, and put together a colorful gift for the child's mother. Rhyming verse carries the brief story, while wonderful, warm, full-color illustrations present scenes from novel angles, and depict a loving family with a sense of intimacy, sincerity, and joy. A reassuring choice for reading aloud. --Barbara Peklo Abrahams, Oneida City Schools, Manlius, NYParenting
An intimate family portrait.The Boston Globe
An inspiration for younger children and their parents.From the Publisher
"Should be a staple in every spring storyhour."—School Library Journal"An inspiration for younger children and their parents."—The Boston Globe